Regional Guidebook for Applying the Hydrogeomorphic Approach to Assessing the Functions of Headwater Slope Wetlands on the Mississippi and Alabama Coastal Plans

摘要

The Hydrogeomorphic (HGM) Approach is a collection of concepts and methods for developing functional indices and subsequently using them to assess the capacity of a wetland to perform functions relative to similar wetlands in a region. The approach was initially designed to be used in the context of the Clean Water Act Section 404 Regulatory Program permit review sequence. This Regional Guidebook (a) characterizes the Headwater Slope wetlands in southern Mississippi and Alabama, (b) describes and provides the rationale used to select functions for the Headwater Slope wetland subclass, (c) describes model variables and metrics, (d) describes the development of assessment models, (e) provides data from reference wetlands and documents their use in calibrating model variables and assessment models, and (f) outlines protocols for applying the functional indices to the assessment of wetland functions.